Multiple purpose refrigerated case



March 20, 1951 R. J. BURGER MULTIPLE PURPOSE REFRIGERATED CASE FiledAug. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 \INVENTOR. Ra/p/r J. Burger BY 2 45ATTORNEY-f March 20, 1951 R. J. BURGER 2,545,602

MULTIPLE PURPOSE REFRIGERATED CASE Filed Aug. 17, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Faoh J. Burger BY March 20, 1951 R. J. BURGER MULTIPLE PURPOSEREFRIGERATED CASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 1'7, 1949 INVENTOR. hq/p/zd. Burger BY 7 wz/ZM ATTORNEYS refrigerated storage features.

Patented Mar. 20, 195i 2,545,602 MULTIPLE PURPOSE REFRIGERATED CASERalph J. Burger, Kendallville, Ind., assignor to McCray RefrigeratorCompany, Kendallville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application August17, 1949, Serial No. 110,775

10 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerated display cases, and particularlyto such a case that combines self-service with both service display andHowever, either of these latter may be omitted within the spirit of theinvention. 1

It is old in refrigerated cases to combine separate closed display andclosed storage compartments wherein cold air is circulated through bothfrom a single refrigerating and air circulating unit, but so far as I amaware this has not been accomplished in combination with an opentopself-service refrigerated display compartment having the same source ofcold air supply.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a tripleduty refrigerated case combining in a single economical and efficientmanner a refrigerated open-top self-service feature with closed servicedisplay and storage features, all served by the same air cooling andcirculating system, whereby to enhance the coinmercial value andefliciency of refrigerated display storage and service units of thischaracter.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following detailed description, and from the accompanying drawingsillustrating one embodiment thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a frontelevation of a refrigerated case embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is anenlarged fragmentary section on the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is areduced horizontal section on the line 3--3 in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is avertical section on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the main body unit of the casewhich includes in its lower portion one or more cold storagecompartments and above these the closed display and service compartment,together with the air cooling and circulating means therefor, and Bdesignates the open-top refrigerated self-service body unit. This latterunit, in the present instance, is removably attached to the lower frontportion of the main unit A and is supplied with it's cooling air fromthe cooling and circulating means forming a part of the unit A. The mainbody unit A has a bottom section comprising a base or bottom I, a rearwall 2, end walls 3, 3, risin therefrom, and a front that is open at 5with the opening extending substantially from the bottom I up to the topbeam marked 4. This structure forms the longitudinally spaced coldstorage compartments 6, 6, and has superposed thereon a top section Iforming the closed refrigerated display and service compartment 8 thatis accessible at the rear through a plurality of openings closed bysliding doors 9 and at the front through a long front opening that isclosed by a series of glass plates I0, as is customary with apparatus ofthis character. Nothing particularly novel is claimed for theconstruction and arrangement of parts of the main unit A except insofaras it is adapted to cooperate with the body unit B to form theselfservice refrigerated feature of the apparatus.

Each of the cold storage compartments 6 has an access openin at the rearclosed by a door II and has a raised grate bottom l2 forming an aircirculating space l3 between it and the base I of the structure.

Centrally of the case and separating the two storage compartments 6, 6,is located the air cooling and circulating unit which, in the presentinstance, comprises a drum like shell l5 open at top and bottom with itsaxis vertical and having an inwardly spaced vented bottom concentricshell 5 forming an annular space within the shell I5 in which arelocated a series of I display compartment 8 are separated by a gratingor foraminous members 29 forming the bottom of the display compartment8. The cooled air circulation is up from the storage compartment 5through the grating 20 and thence upward through the compartment 8 to atop return conduit 2| extending lengthwise of the top portion of thecompartment 8 at eachside of a central down draft conduit 22 whichdirects the returning air to the open top of the drum l5 of the coolingunit, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The

air enters the conduits 2| from the compartment.

8 through slots 23 at the lower rear edge of the conduit. It is thusapparent that when the fan 3 the case enters the return conduits 2| andthence passes down through the conduit 22 to be again passed through thecooling unit, as well understood in the art.

The unit B which constitutes the refrigerated self-service feature ofthe case, in the present instance, is separable from the unit A and isclamped to the front side thereof in covering. relation to the openingin any suitable manner. In the present embodiment, the unit B comprisesthe base or bottom part 25 which extends upward at its front side and atits ends to form the shallow upstanding wall portionsdta This wallportion is surmounted by a front glass wall 2! and end glass walls 28.above the horizontal level of the lower edge of the beam 4 which formsthe top of the opening 5. The base 25, the rear edges of its end walls26 and the rear edges of the end plates 28 fit closely against the frontside of" the section A, thus giving, the case A with its frontextension. B the appearance ofasing-le unitary structure. The pro.-duce-receiving. compartment 313' of the self-serve unit. B. is open. atits top so that customers may reach. in and. select. the'producedesired.

The, means employed. in the present. instance for attaching. thev unitBto the unit A comprises ascries of lag. screws 3| inserted on a downwardincline forwardly through the front beam member 32 of the base L andthreading into a corresponding beammember 33 that abuts rearwardlyagainst the member 3.2. throughverticalslots in themember 32- to permitverticaladjustment and the heads-of the screws engage wedge members 35.in a manner tocause a. tightening ofthe members 32 and. 33 together whenthescrew head slides down on the mem bers 34.

The storage compartments 6 at their front sides are separated from theopen front of the unit A by a vertical partition 35' extending the fulllength .of the caseandproviding the cham-- ber or'a-ir passage 3-6Whichopens into the'service" compartment 3fl-through'the opening 5 andmay form a rearwarclextension of such compartment.

The-partition 35- stops shortof the base-or bottom: member tofztheunit Aso astopermit.air'from the spa-eels beneath the grating l2-to pass thereunder: and into the communicating chambers 38 and 35 Within the chambersEB-Tand Balsa-bottemplate E i-of foraminousform which serves'to supportthe produce in said chambers and also to distribute the air uniformlythroughout thespace beneath the plate and to permit it to passupwardtherethrough into the chambers, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

The partition 35 has at its upper edge centrally of its ends a flue 38extending rearwardly from the upper portion of the compartment 3% to theupper end or fan chamber portion of the refrigerating unit so thatreturn air may pass from said compartment to the unit. Except for thisflue, the partition 35 closes any communication between the compartment35 and the upper portions of the storage compartment 6.

On the front side 'of the partition 35 ismounted a bafiie 39 forming aflue it runninggth'elength of the case and also providing a narrow spacebetween it and the upper front beam'member' i.

which tends to direct therisi'ng air as it passes from the compartments3t; 36, and is drawn to the'coolingunit through the fine 38 by theaction of the fan; The flue dil'communicates'centrally' of the caselengthwise thereof" with thereturn' Each of these walls extends- Thescrews are inserted 4 flue 38 so that the air entering the flue 40 fromthe chambers 30 and 35 passes therealong to the central flue 38 andthence into the fan chamber. One or more fluorescent or incandescentlamps 42 are mounted beneath the beam 4 or top wall of the opening 5, soas to direct light down into both compartments 3H and 36.

The interior bottom portion 25, 26 of the unit B has a liner 43 (Fig; 2)that overhangs the front upstanding lip edge of the bottom liner 44 ofthe base member I, and both of these liners are rearwardly anddownwardly inclined to direct any condensation or other liquids towardthe drainage-0ut1et4'5. The liner 44 is also preferably inclinedslightly from both ends towards the drainage outlet so as to' directliquid thereto. It is apparent in the operation of the apparatus thatthestoragecompartment 6 and the display compartment 8 are cooled by theair flow that is directed downwardly through the coils in the cooling,unit and thence dispersed endwise of the case in both directions beneaththe beam grating l2- and upward therethrough and through boththat isdischarged beneath the grating 12 passes rearwardly fromv the space I3"beneath the partition- 35 and into the lower portions of the servicecompartments '30 and'stbeneath the grating or foraminous bottommembers-37. Thiscold air passes upward through suchmembers and into bothof said compartments, and due to the fact that the front and endwalls21' and 28 ofthe compartment 3ft extend abovethe top of the opening 5,this air, as it is warmed and by reason of.- the forced circulation;iscaused to pass-,. as;

indicated by the arrows; through the opening 5 towardand into the flue40' and thence to the returnflue 3 8 tothe-f'an chamber, designated- 4G:

The coldair. in its circulation within theopen topconipartment '39 'willnot materially spill over thewallsof such compartment but will returntoithecooling unit inthe manner now' well un'-' derstood in connectionwith open-top refr-igerat-' ed service units'of this" character;

Thisainvention provides a" unitary refrigerating case that combines-thet'riplefifun'c'tions of a cooled} storage-spaced, a-cooleddisplaycompartment ariti a refrigerated open-top'selfiservice compartment;-

I wish it understo'od that my'inventio'n isnot' limitedto any specific"construction; arrangement or form 'of the-parts, as it iscapable ofnumerous modifications and changes without departing from thespirit of'the claims;

Having thus described my invention, what" I claim" as new; and desire'tosecure by United States Letters Patent; is:

1; Ina'caseo'f the class described; which com-' bin'es a" cold storage"compartment and a display compartmenttogetherwith means for coolingandcirculating airtherethrough ina continuous cir cuit; the provision Oranopen-top refri'ger'ated' display compartment" at a side of" the coldstorage compartment and exposed to the aifthat is cooled'iand circulatedby s'aidmea'n's whereby a'lp'oi'tioIi' ofth'e" cooled" air isby-p'a'ssed" from the lower portionv of" the storage compartment and"circulated" through said" o'pemtop compartment and thenreturned .to. therefrigerating means;

22 In a case" of? the class described Having, a"

cooled compartment and an opening in one side of the case together withmeans for cooling and creating a circulation of air through saidcompartment, the provision of an open-top refrigerated self-service unitat a side of said case havin its rear and bottom portions inunrestricted communication with said air circulating and cooling meansthrough said side opening whereby a portion of the air cooled andcirculated by said means is circulated through the open-top compartmentand then returned to the cooling and circulating means.

3. In a case of the class described having a plurality of compartments,and means operable to cool air and to effect an endless circulation ofair through said compartments, said case having an opening in one of itsupright walls, the provision of means forming an open-top refrigerateddisplay compartment at a side of said case with the rear of its interiorin open communication with said opening with the Walls of said open-topcompartment extending above the top level of said opening, and means forby-passing a portion of the air circulated by said cooling andcirculating means and causing it to enter said open-top compartment atits bottom portion and to then return through said opening to saidcirculating means.

4. In a case of the class described having a cooling compartment withsurrounding walls and with an opening through one wall extending inheight some distance above the bottom of the compartment, an air coolingand circulating unit for receiving warm air at the top and directing itdownward into the bottom of said compartment and upward therethrough toreturn to said means, a partition separating said compartment from thewall having said opening, an open-top self-service unit attached to theopen side of said case and forming a forward extension of thecompartment between said partition and open wall with the top of saidcompartment at the outer side of the wall disposed at a level above thetop of said wall opening, foraminous means forming a bottom for saidopen-top compartment and. said communicating space, and means forbypassing a portion of the air circulated by said cooling andcirculating means so as to direct it under and upward through saidforaminous plate and into the compartment thereabove and then returningit to the circulating and cooling means.

5. In a case of the class described having front,

end and rear walls and forming a lower storage compartment and an upperdisplay compartment and having an opening in its front wall, a partitionwithin the case rearwardly of said front wall and forming a spacelengthwise of the case in communication with said opening, an extensionon the front side of said case forming an open-top self-servicecompartment with its rear side open through said wall opening to saidspace and with its front and end walls extending above the level of thetop of said opening, a foraminous produce support in the bottom portionsof said space and open-top compartment and extending through saidopening, and means for cooling and causing an endless circulation of airthrough said case compartments and also through said space and open-topcompartment.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a case having surroundingwalls forming a cooling chamber, one of said walls having an openingtherein, a separate unit attached to the wall of said case at the outerside of said opening and forming an open-top self-service displaycompartment with its rear side open to the interior of the case throughsaid opening and with its side and end Walls terminating on a levelabove that of the top of said opening, and means associated with thecase and operable to cool and effect a forced circulation of air throughsaid first chamber and also through said open-top compartment and thenreturn the air to the cooling means.

7. A triple duty case of the class described having a storagecompartment, a closed display compartment, an open-top self-servicecompartment, and a closed circuit refrigerating system including arefrigerating unit and a forced draft means and having communicationwith and through each of said compartment, said open-top compartmentsbeing of 'the type in which the cold air is introduced into thecompartment through the bottom portion and passes outward therefromthrough a rear opening the top of which is below the level of the top ofthe side walls of the compartment.

8. An arrangement as called for in claim 7 wherein the storage andclosed compartments are superimposed and the open-top compartment is atthe front of one of said first compartments.

9. In a refrigerated case having a storage compartment, a superposeddisplay compartment, and an open-top refrigerated display compartment atthe front of said storage compartment, cooling means below saidsuperposed compartment, an air circulating system for directing cooledair from said cooling means through said storage compartment and throughboth said display compartments and back from each to said cooling means,and means for forcing the circulation of air through said cooling meansand system.

10. An arrangement as called for in claim 9, wherein the circulation ofcooled air from the storage compartment is up through the bottom portionof the open-top display compartment and therefrom through its rear sideportion to the cooling means.

RALPH J. BURGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,462,279 Passman Feb. 22, 19492,467,427 Green Apr. 19, 1949 2,477,393 Skoog July 26, 1949 2,511,375Raskin June 13, 1950

